Adhesive applying device for tube forming machines



April 14, 1936. c HUSTON 2,0313%? ADHESIVE AI PLYING DEVICE FOR TUBE FORMING MACHINES Filed Nov. 24, 1950' s Sheeis-Sheet 1 K WW 1 AMER A. c. HusfoN 2,037,19

ADHESIVE APPLYING DEVICE FOR TUBE FORMING MACHINES Filed NOV. 24, 1930 S Sheets-Sheet 2 Am-131M, 1936. T TON 2,037,19?

ADHESIVE APPLYING DEVICE FOR TUBE FORMING MACHINES Filed Nov. 24, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNETED STATES ATENT OFFICE Arch 0. Huston, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 24, 1930, Serial No. 497,830 I 13 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to adhesive applying devices in machines for forming spirally wound tubing such as cylindrical paper cartons, soda straws, and the like, and is disclosed in the copending application on Tube forming machine, Ser. No. 444,087, filed April 14, 1930, now U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,913,447, dated June 13, 1933.

In tube forming machines of the present type,

. the strip stock which is spirally wound to form the tube, is coated on one side with adhesive, preliminary to the winding operation, by passing the strips over a rotatable roll partially immersed in a heated body of adhesive contained in a glue pet. It is particularly desirable that the adhesive in the glue pot be maintained in acondition of uniform, unchanging consistency and fluidity, in order that when applied to the strips, the adhesive will have the desired properties required for proper formation of the tubes.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved type of glue pot whereby the adhesive will be maintained in a constantly uniform condition, both as to the admixture of its ingredients and also its degree of fluidity. This is accomplished, generally speaking, by making provision whereby the adhesive in the pot will be maintained in a continuous and bodily state of circulation under the action of the adhesive applying roll, and at a substantially constant temperature throughout.

The invention further contemplates the provision of an improved type of scraping device for removing excess adhesive from the strips after -5 their passage over the adhesive applying roll. I

may state that the present scraper device is particularly effective in accomplishing the purpose stated, in that it is so designed as to preclude the possibility of excess adhesive remaining on 40 the strips at their edges, which would result in the adhesive being squeezed out from between the strips as they are woundto form the tube and deposited on the outside of the latter. My improved scraper obviates the possibility of this, in 45 that the adhesive-on each strip is scraped inwardly from the sides and toward the center bodiment of the invention. Reference is had throughout the description to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general plan view of the herein de scribed typical form of machine embodying the 6:; invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan'view of the feed release and glue pot end of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; g 10 Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side eleva tion of the feed release and adhesive applying mechanism as viewed on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the opposite side of the parts shown in Fig. 4, and as indicated by 15. line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the winding and cut-off mechanism as viewed on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspectiveview' of the 2 scraper bar associated with the glue pot assembly;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front side view of the scraper bar; and v j Fig. 9 is a section on line 9--9 of Fig. 8. 25

Referring first to Fig. 1, the machine in its entirety may be characterized as comprising a feed release and adhesive applying mechanism generally indicated at I 0 the winding mechanism at H for forming the strip stock released from the mechanism l0 into spirally wound straws; and a cut-off mechanism generally indicated at I2, which operates tosever the formed straws into predetermined equal lengths. The feed release and adhesive applying mechanism [0 is 1 supported on a table or bed I3 which extends angularly with relation to bed l4 supporting the winding and cut-off mechanism, the parts of the machine being arranged in this manner in order to enable the strip stock to be, taken straight from the feed release to the mandrel and at the proper angle relative thereto.

In order that the invention as embodied in the feed release and adhesive applying end of the machine may be most clearly understood, I shall first describe in a general and brief manner the winding and cut-off mechanism, since a preliminary understanding of the mode of operation of these will render the operation of the feed release and glue pot end of the machine readily apparent. For all present purposes however it will be unnecessary to enter into a more than brief description of the characteristics of the winding and cut-off since the invention is independent of these parts; the latter, on the other hand more properly comprising the subject matter of my copending application hereinabove referred to.

The feed release, winding and cut-off mechanisms are operated from a main drive shaft 16 supported on brackets 11 from the under side of bed 14, and driven from motor 18 by Way of chain I9. It will suflice to state at this point that the strip stock- 28 and 2| taken from the feed release end of the: machine at 10, are passed respectively over paraifine roller 22 and beneath guide 23, onto winding mandrel 24 extending horizontally over bed 14 and supported on post 25. The strip stock so taken onto the mandrel is'formed into spirally wound tubing, in the present case-straws 21, by means of a pair of winding rollers 28 and 29 mounted at opposite sides of the mandrel and substantially in engagement therewith, the winding rollers being rotatably driven from main drive shaft l6 by way of flexible shafts 36' and 31 carrying gears at 32 (behind gears 81) and. 33 meshingwith gears= carried on the' drive shaft. By virtue of their positions of angularity relative to the mandrel, the rollers 28 and 29 operated to wind theadhesive coated strip stock into formed straws, and to continuously advance the formed straws from the mandrel to the cutoff I2.

The cut-off mechanism: 12 may be described generally as comprising a rotatable disk cutter 35 rotatably driven by motor 35; The cutter is bodily movable and is operatedin its bodily movemerit b'ycam wheel 35 carried in the main drive shaft, andin-a manner such that the cutter is caused t'o'be brought intermittently intothe path of the formed-straw, as it is advanced through the usual guide 40, to sever the straw into equal lengths. In order toaccomplish a smooth out of the straws, the cutter is moved withthe' straw in itsadvancing travel at substantially'the same rate of speed.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2; 4 and 5, double rolls of the strip stock are carried on reels 42 and'4'3 mounted onasuitable support 44 attached at 45 to the glue pot, hereinafter described, the strips-Mandi Z'I'being led from the reels between a pair of friction rollers 46 and 41. Roll 46-is carried on a shaft 48 which is driven by way of sliaft 49' through bevel gears 50 and 5 I, from a sleeve 52 journaled in the end members of frame 53', hereinafter described, sleeve 52 be ingsplined to shaft 93"so'as to be movable'longitudinally thereon. Friction roller 41 is carried on an eccentric extension 55a of shaft 55, (see Fig. 3) journaled insupport 44 and post 55', roller 41 being eccentrically movable into and outl of' such.

close proximity to roller 46 as ,to frictionally hold the strips therebetween', byrotating shaft 55.

During operation, the strips 20 and: 2! are advanced betweenthe rollers due to-the rotation of roller- 46; and at the exact peripheral speed of the-latter. The feed of stock to the winder may be stopped at will, by swinging roller 41 to the dotted-linepo'sition l'la, see Fig. 4, so asto frictionally release the strips. Shaft 55 maybe rotatedj and" roller 41 swung from operating: position tothe dotted-line releasing position-41a, by operating arm 58securedto the end of shaft 55, by way-of rod 59 and lever 50, see Fig.1. Lever BII'pref'erabIy is locatednear the windingandcutoiT mechanism in order that should the strips or formedstraw become fouled at any time during their passagethrough the winder or cut-off, the operator will be able to stop the feed without having to-shut down the entire machine.

In-order toprevent slippage of the strips between the friction rollers 46 and 41, one or both of the rollers may be provided with a peripheral facing of rubber or other suitable material. In the present case, the power roller 45 is shown to have a metallic periphery. Roller 41 however is provided with a rubber peripheral facing 41b, so as to frictionally engage the strips and thereby assure that they will be advanced at the same peripheral speed as the power roller.

The strips 20 and 21 pass from the feed release mechanism described, around guides 62 and 62a, over an adhesive applying roller 63, carried on shaft 64 journaled in bearings 65 at opposite sides of the glue pot structure 66. Shaft 64 and the adhesive applying roller 63 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, by drive connection with shaft 93, see Fig. 5, this connection comprising abelt 16 extending around sleeve 52 and pulley 11 carried on the end of shaft 64. The glue pot assembly comprises an elongated open top container or shell 68 enclosed within a water jacket 69. The latter is attached at 10 to the vertical members 53a of the frame 53, and it will be noted'that the frame, in addition to supporting the glue pot, serves also to support the various parts hereinabove described mounted on the upper rear. end portion of the glue pot; Jacket 69 may be supplied with water from container 11 through pipe 12 leading into the bottom of the jacket. The Water in the jacket may be maintained at the proper temperature required to heat the adhesive 13in the glue pot to the proper temperature, and to keep the adhesive at that temperature, by means of a suitable electrical heating element 14 inserted in the bottom of the jacket.

The glue pot proper preferably is shaped as best shown in Fig. 2, the inner shell 68 being somewhat elongated and provided with substantially semi-circular end walls 68a so as to facilitate uniform circulation of the adhesive within the pot in a circuitous path. A partition 15 extends longitudinally and centrally within the glue pot and'is spaced from the end walls 68a thereof so as to-enable the adhesive to be circulated in a circuitous path around the partition. Roller 63 it will be noted, is partially immersed in the adhesive at one side of the partition, and as the roller is rotated, it causes the adhesive to circulate around the partition as indicated by arrow A. Excess adhesive on the roll is removed from contact with the strips passing over the roll, by means of scraper 8B adjustedin close proximity to the roll.

This provision for maintaining the adhesive in continuous circulation is of particular advantage in keeping it in the proper consistency, due to the fact that in the absence of such means of circulation, local overheating of the adhesive will occur at the jacketed walls, and in the central portions of" the glue pot the adhesive will not be sufficiently heated and will therefore be undesirably thick and heavy. However, by making provision, as by the inserting of wall or partition 15 in the glue pot, whereby the adhesive applying roller will keep the glue continuously in a circuitous path of flow, the adhesive is maintained in uniform consistency and at a uniform temperature throughout, to obvious advantage. And it may be further mentioned that by so causing the entire body of adhesive to be kept in a state of circulation, a more thorough mixing action is had than should the adhesive be subjected to agitation or circulation in localized zones only.

In order to compensate for the loss of moisture from the adhesive due to evaporation, water or a thinning solution may be carried in a container 19 tinuous circulation of the adhesive serves to keep ly-through pipe 19a into the glue pot.

the waterthoroughly mixed therewith.

The strips pass from the adhesive applying roller 83 over a scraper bar 88 which serves to remove excess adhesive from the strips and to cause the removed adhesive to drop back into the glue pot, the strips thence passing beneath guides 8! to the mandrel where they are wound as previously described. It may be stated that the scraper bar 88 has certain characteristics which render it particularly effective in removing just the right amountof adhesive from the strips and at the proper points. The details of the scraper bar however will be described fully at a later point.

It is of considerable importance that the adhesive applied to the strips have just the right moisture content at the point at which the strips are wound together on the mandrel, in order for the straws to be properly formed. So subject is the adhesive to changes in its moisture content between the applying rollers 63 and the mandrel due tochanges in atmospheric temperature and humidity, that it becomes desirable to provide means for varying, in effect, the time during which the coated strips are exposed to the air, in accordance with atmospheric conditions. For this purpose, the described strip release mech anism and the glue pot assembly is mounted on frame 53 which is capable of movement and adjustment longitudinally on bed I3. The frame 53 is mounted on rollers 83 carried on the upright frame members 53a, and to one of the roller shafts is attached a handle 84 for moving the frame. and all parts supported thereon may be moved longitudinally on the bed l3 so as to vary'the distance of the adhesive applying roller from the mandrel. In order to permit such movement of the frame, rod 59 is made in relatively longitudinally movable sections 59a, 591), the former slidably terminating in a sleeve 85 secured to section 5% by set screw 85a. The feed release and adhesive applying mechanism may be operated from shaft 93 regardless of the position of frame 53 on the bed, since sleeve 52, journaled in the upright frame members 53a, and from which sleeve both of said mechanisms are driven, is slidable longitudinally on the shaft spline 93a.

As shown in Fig. 6, shaft 93 is driven from the main drive shaft I6 by way of bevel gears 81'. The feed release mechanism thus is operated in timed relation with the operation of the winder and cut-off mechanism, the various reasons and advantages of so operating the various mech anisms requiring no detailed mention herein since this feature of the machine more properly comprises the subject matter of my copending application, Ser. No. 444,087.

As previously stated, the strips 20 and 2! after passing over the adhesive applying roll 63, are passed over the scraper bar, generally indicated at 88, and which serves to remove excess adhesive from the strips and to permit it to drop into the body of glue in the pot. The scraper bar assembly, shown in detail in Figs. 7 to 9, preferably, though not necessarily, is of sectional character,

'being made up of a pair of support bars 8230.

joined to the forward uprights 53a of frame 53, and the scraper bar proper 88b, detachably joined to bars 88a by means of bolts 90. The strips pass in the direction of arrows R over the upper edge Thus by turning handle 84 the frame 53' 94 of concave surfaces 95 of the scraper bar, the shape of said surfaces being such as to cause the adhesive to be scraped from the edges toward the centers of the strips. Concave surfaces 85 are formed on the forward side of the bar, that in the side toward which the strips travel, and as the strips pass over the upper edges 94, the adhesive on their under surfaces is scraped from the sides toward the centers by virtue of the concavity of faces 95, as will be readily apparent.

It is preferred that the edges 94 be moreor less sharp in order to preclude the possibility of 5 excess adhesive becoming pressed out and spread to the edges of the strips, as might be the case should they be caused to travel over a surface of any considerable area. Therefore, inorder to form such edges at 94, the top surfaces 91 of the bar at the back side of edges 94 are sloped away from the upper edges of the forward concave faces as shown in Fig. 9. In passing the strips over the scraping edges 94, the latter will act to remove comparatively thicker layers of adhesive toward the edges of the strips than at their centers, and because'of the inward scraping action of edges 44, a slight excess of adhesive may remain on the strips at their centers. However,'the amount of adhesive removed from the edges of the strips will be such that the excess at their centers will compensate for the over amount scraped from the edges, by spreading as the strips are Wound, and in no case will the amount of adhesive remaining on the strips be in such excess that as the latter are wound, glue will become squeezed out on the outside of the tube.

'I claim:

1. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot, having rounded end sections, a vertically disposed partition within said pot and spaced at its ends and sides from the'walls of the pot to provide acircuitous pathof flow for adhesive therein,

a rotatable adhesive applying roll'partially sub merged in said pot at one side of said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulated within the pot around said partition, and means for passing strip stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive.

2. ma tube forming machine, a glue pot having rounded end sections, a vertically disposed partition within said pot and spaced at its ends from the wall-of the pot to provide a circuitous path of flow for adhesive therein, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partially submerged in said pot at one sideof said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulated within the pot around said partition, means for rotatably driving said roll, and rn'eansfor passing strip stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive.

3. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot having rounded end sections, a vertically disposed partition within said pot and spaced at its ends from the wall of the pot to provide a circuitous path of flow for adhesive therein, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partially submerged in said pot at one side of said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulated within the pot around said partition, means for passing strip stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive, and common drive means for both said last mentioned means and said roll.

4. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot having rounded end sections, a vertically disposed partition within said pot and spaced at its ends from the wall of the pot to provide a circuitous path of flow for adhesive therein, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partially submerged in said pot at one side of said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulatedwithin the. pot aroundv said partition, means for passing strip stock over said roll to coat said; stock with ad.- hesive, and means for removing, excess adhesive from said strip stock after passage of. the latter over said roll.

5. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partiallysubmerged in the glue in said pot, means for passing tube forming strips over said roll to coat the strips with adhesive, means for directing the glue in said pot in a circuitous path under the circulating action of said roll, and a scraper member over which said strips are passed after their passage over said roll, saidscraper member comprising means for removing a comparatively thicker layer of the adhesive coating from the strips toward their edges than at their centers.

6. In a tube forming machine, means for continuously advancing a strip adapted to be formed into tubes, means for coating said strip on one side with adhesive, and a scraper member over which said strips are passed to remove excess adhesive therefrom, said scraper member comprising means for removing a comparatively thicker layer of the adhesive coating of the strip from its edges than at its center.

7. In a tube forming machine, means for continuously advancing a strip adapted to be formed into tubes, means for coating said strip on one side with adhesive, and a scraper bar over which said strips are passed to remove excess adhesive therefrom, said scraper bar having a substantially sharp concave edge over which said strip is passed, the said scraper bar being concaved away from the direction from which the strip is passing to advance its edges to engage the strip of material to remove a comparatively thicker layer of adhesive coating of the strip from its edges than at its center.

8. In a tube forming machine, means for advancing a strip, means for coating one surface of the strip with adhesive, and means for removing from said surface excess adhesive from the edge of said strip toward the center thereof, and then removingthe excess adhesive from the center portion, allowing some adhesive to remain on all portions of the entire width of the strip.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a glue pot having rounded end por- Lions, a partition mounted in vertical position in the said pot in position so that its ends are spaced inwardly from the inner periphery .of the rounded ends of the glue pot so as toprovide a circuitous path of flow for the adhesive therein, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partially submerged in said glue pot in one side of said partitions, said roll causing the glue to-be circulated within the pot inthe path around the partitions andwithin the interior of the rounded ends of the pot, and means for passing strip stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive.

10. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot having rounded ends and straight side portions, a vertically disposed portion mounted within said pot and spaced from its sides and from the inner periphery of the rounded ends of the glue pot to provide a circuitous path of flow'for the adhesive of substantial equal cross section within the pot and free of points within the path Within which the glue may stop its circulation, a rotatable adhesive roll partially submerged in said pot at one side of said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulated within the pot around said partition, and means for passing a strip of stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive.

11. In a tube forming machine, a glue pot having rounded end portions and straight sides,

a partition. vertically disposed within. said pot and having its ends and sides spaced from the ends andsides of the glue pot substantially equidistantly to provide a circuitous path of flow for adhesive therein of substantially equal cross-sectional dimensions throughout, a rotatable adhesive applying roll partially submerged in said pot at one side of said partition, said roll causing the glue to be circulated within the pot through said path, and means for passing strip stock over said roll to coat said stock with adhesive.

12. In a tube forming machine, means for continuously advancing a strip adapted to be fo-rmedinto tubes, means for coating said strip with adhesive and a scraper member over which said strips are passed to remove excess adhesive therefrom, said scraper member comprising a bar having adjacent concave portions to ad- Vance the edges and a center portion of the bar to engage the strip of material prior to the remainder of the bar engaging the remainder of the strip of material so that the scraper member acts to remove a comparatively thicker adhesive from the strip at its edges than at its center.

13. In a tube forming machine, means for continuously advancing a strip adapted to be formed into tubes, means for coating said strip on one side with adhesive and a scraper bar over which said strip is passed to remove excess adhesive therefrom, said scraper bar having a concave face over which said strip is passed, the concave face of the scraper bar being turned in the direction from which the strip is passed over the scraper bar to advance its edges toward the edges of the strip so that the edges of the scraper bar act to remove a comparatively thicker layer of adhesive from the edges of the strip than at its center.

ARCH C. HUSTON. 

